The Land: Quarantine message from Farm Bureau President.

Seth Earl

The Land: Quarantine message from Farm Bureau President.

The Land is a series telling the stories about local agriculture. It is a presentation of Peterson Farms, Inc.

By Seth Earl, President, Mason County Farm Bureau. 

Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams and many more have certainly become mainstays in our vocabulary over the past couple of months. We have watched markets collapse, learned to sing happy birthday while washing hands and yes, we have learned to properly elbow bump to greet neighbors. We certainly live in interesting times. There is no question that this period has been challenging for all of us. While strange and awkward, there has been a learning experience.

The month of March started off with the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer and Rancher conference in Louisville being cancelled. Then the abrupt end of my favorite sporting season (March madness). It seemed as though we were living in a hyperbole of uncertainty. As the media and news outlets raced to get the “most recent” story to the shelf our young family quietly decided to watch the world from our own doorstep as we have plugged in and connected with one another. We’ve chosen to not focus on the negativity but to see the positive of the situation. 

March ended with me hosting a virtual happy hour for fellow young farmers while sitting in the cow alley in our freestall barn. On our AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher committee group text, I started adding a photo a day that recapped my thoughts of the entire COVID crisis. When life throws you lemons, you make lemonade with a side of lightheartedness. Lyndsay, McKenzie, Madisyn and I have chosen to spend our time hiking, biking and enjoying life. We’ve had more time to devote to family time, reading books, bonfires and plenty of s’mores. We even managed to complete a virtual road race, participate in Farm Bureau’s Million Meal Challenge. Oh yes, Disney+ even entered our house. Life’s is a choice; you must make every opportunity count. 

We certainly cannot dwell on the negativity of the events swirling around this spring. True, we must take COVID serious, however we can be vigilant and compassionate at the same time. We must surround ourselves with positivity and realize that we are resilient. When we look back on this time, it will be a blip on the radar, but it will certainly provide some interesting memories. We are farmers and the best caretakers and stewards in the world. Perhaps our most undersold trait is that we are committed to people, communities and our neighbors. Smile say hello and lets help lift up our communities. 

For information on this series sponsors, Peterson Farms, including careers, visit www.petersonfarmsinc.com.

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